Blog Do I need a Website?
Whether or not you should go through the trouble of setting up a website depends on one major factor: how far do you want to go with your creative career? If you wish to keep your pursuits at the hobbyist level, in all likelihood you won’t need a website unless you simply want one.
However, if you would like to walk a professional path, you should consider a website. Think of it as something like a digital calling card (or even a Carrd, but we’ll get into that later) and portfolio all in one.
In addition, a website boosts your SEO, or search engine optimization. SEO refers to the process of building out a page to increase its chances of popping up in Google, Duck Duck Go, or other search engines. The better the optimization, the closer to the top of the search returns the website will sit. Having a website—especially one with your name in the URL—makes it much easier for friends, family, fans, and potential collaborators to find you when they search your name.
Where do I Host My Website?
Understandably, the next question anyone asks when they decide they need a website to bolster their career involves where, exactly, to host it. Unless you want to hire a web developer and private host, setting up a website doesn’t have to cost you anything! The following options allow you to get your name out there without paying a pretty penny (or any penny):
Now that you’ve set up a website, your next step is to register a unique domain name. Make it easy to remember—your name (or alias) and occupation is sufficient. This helps with both your networking and SEO.
How Do I Set Up My URL?
Luckily, registering a domain name so you have a unique, easy-to-remember URL to share is extremely simple! Unlike building and hosting a website, this can’t always be done for free, however. Though unless you plan to purchase a high-level URL containing in-demand keywords, you’re not going to spend an exorbitant amount of money… if you spend any money at all.
Registering a domain name is so much simpler than it sounds. All you do is pick the name you want, purchase it (if a purchase even needs to be made at all), and have it forwarded to where your website is hosted. Instructions are almost always included when you go pick up your piping hot URL order. The following websites should help you register free or cheap domain names:
We highly recommend opting for a URL registrar that allows for privacy protection, also known as WHOIS privacy. If you own a domain name, scammers and other bad actors may go searching for the physical address attached to it. Privacy protection lists a P.O. Box or the domain registrar’s own street address in lieu of yours to keep you and any other members of your household safe.
What do I Put on My Website?
So now you have a host, and even a snazzy domain name! Now it’s time to actually build your website. Luckily, most hosting services offer a wide range of templates for those of us not trained in HTML, CSS, or other web language. All you need to do is plug your content into the template and there you go!
But (because there’s always a but) you do actually have to strategize what to share and not share on the website. Look, we all love photos of your pets! They just don’t belong on your professional website right now. Cute as your furry friends are, irrelevant inclusions only clog up your space and make it harder for visitors to find out what they need to know about you and your career.
You know what information does belong, though? The following:
Keep it simple! There’s no need to overload your website. This isn’t the mid-’90s and you’re not hosted on Geocities. You don’t want to miss out on opportunities because an industry hotshot couldn’t navigate around the sparkly unicorn .gifs and recipes for your mom’s world famous meatloaf.
Closing Credits, at Your Service!
If you ever find yourself hung up on questions regarding your website, the Closing Credits community is here to help! Students, you can run your ideas past both your fellow learners as well as our instructors. If you’re a voice actor, John Wang offers a Business for Voice Actors course that covers not only how to present yourself online, but other elements of launching your professional success as well. At Closing Credits, we’re devoted to making sure everyone who enrolls in our classes and asks questions in our Discord receives everything they need to meet their career goals.
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Courses
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Voice Acting
Voice Acting 101
As with any profession or trade, it takes time for people to master their craft; voice acting included. A weekend seminar at a famous studio or a week long boot camp ...
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Voice Acting
Voice Acting 201
Over the next 12 classes we will take you on the ride of a lifetime as we put you in the front seat of your emotional rollercoaster. You will work on techniques ...
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Voice Acting
Voice Acting 301
Now that you’ve discovered how to use your instrument properly and how to bring emotional context into your words, it’s time to learn how to put it all together and learn how to act.
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Voice Acting
Narration
There are many forms of narration from corporate, e-learning, tutorials, Documentary, Podcasting, In-Show (Series VO) and more. This course was designed to advance your skills in this lucrative genre.
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Voice Acting
Authentic Commmerical Voiceover
In this course, you will learn how to approach any Commercial script and, by answering a few simple questions, find a voice that is authentic, conversational, friendly, & confident – without having to do any research on power saws.
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Voice Acting
Becoming a VO Solopreneur
Core training of how to's of becoming a solo-preneur in the voice over industry and learn the tools, tricks and techniques of building a solid foundation as a DBA/LLC business in the first year. ...
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Voice Acting
Mastering Characters
Build a recreatable catalog of characters with the ability to perform and sustain them. Gain specialized insights in the animation genre of voiceover along with strategies and tactics to advance your craft ...
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Voice Acting
Business for Voice Actors
The side of voice acting that is seldom taught but is just as important is the business. What price should you charge? What are the advantages you can promote locally, online, and in foreign markets?
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Voice Acting
Audiobook Voice Acting
One of (if not) the fastest growing market segments for voice acting is audio books. It requires you to take on the role both of actor (a full cast!) as well as director, and oftentimes sound editor and proofer!
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Voice Acting
Applied ADR
ADR/Dubbing is a post-production process used in filmmaking and video production in which additional or supplementary recordings are synced and mixed with original production sound to create a finished product.
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Audio Engineering
Demo Engineering
This course is designed to assist you through technical production of your own voice over spots that showcase your brand and talents. This voice-specific audio engineering course takes you behind the scenes to lay out step ...
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Audio Engineering
Audio Engineering for Voice Actors
You will be given audio examples and practical projects that relate closely to real-world professional practice. This is a hands on course designed to guide you, step-by-step, along the path to possessing a strong
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Audio Engineering
Advanced Audio Engineering
Post Processing for Voice Actors. Train your ears and improve your mixes. Every voice actor’s home studio has a different acoustic profile, they all use different microphones and interfaces, and ...
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Acting
Improv!
Improvisation is life, literally. You will learn about the fundamentals of short-form improvisation. Through this curriculum, you will gain an abundance of self-confidence, empathy and kindness for ...
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Acting
Improv for Actors
Train your instincts! Improvising is a learnable skill, not just something you’re born with. We will explore beats and instincts and develop skills for listening and being active and reactive ...
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Video Editing
Video Editing For Voice Actors
Do you see video editing as a technical puzzle, form of art, or work of magic? From recording a vlog in your bedroom to the latest Marvel flick, modern storytelling lives and breathes through the audiovisual ...
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Writing
Intro to Writing Professionally
The course is designed to guide participants into creating a productive writing space and habit, develop strong characters, build a cohesive plot, and enter the publishing world with some ...
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Illustration
Creating Manga and Webcomics
Creating Manga and Webcomics will fine tune your art skills and knowledge in preparation for the creation of high quality manga and webcomics. We will go through the steps of understanding themes, building up a ...
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Music Composition
Music Composition 101
This course prepares the student to realize, express and create music for new media including Video Games and Film with a focus on real world skills. Students will prepare a wide variety of compositions in ...